Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources Reading Comprehension Worksheets Middle Ages

The Black Death Middle Ages

---

The Black Death
Print The Black Death Reading Comprehension with Fifth Grade Work

Print The Black Death Reading Comprehension with Sixth Grade Work

Print The Black Death Reading Comprehension

Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 5 to 7
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	6.36

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		pestilence, medieval, bubonic, alignment, gruesome, astrology, outcast, bloodstream, rumor, based, cargo, grisly, killing, travelers, reportedly, epidemic
	content words:		Black Death, Middle Ages

---

The Black Death By Sharon Fabian

---

¹     A frightening rumor was spreading across Europe in 1347. It was told in horrifying detail by travelers returning from the East.
 
²     According to the rumor, a mysterious force was killing people. It wasn't like any ordinary disease. A person hardly had time to become sick, and before you knew it, he was gone. And as if that wasn't bad enough, this mysterious killer disposed of its victims in a most grisly manner. There were reports of bodies exploding with the foul sickness. Victims, as soon as they began to feel sick, reportedly gave off such a stench that no one would go near them.
 
³     Were the reports true? What was this mysterious killer? And what made it spread?
 
⁴     People in medieval Europe soon found out the answer to the first question. The reports were true. An unknown but gruesome sickness was spreading across Europe, and it was taking the lives of its victims. The plague spread gradually, making its way across Europe at the rate of a few miles each day.

Paragraphs 5 to 13:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

---

Weekly Reading Books

Create Weekly Reading Books Prepare for an entire week at once!

---

Feedback on The Black Death

Leave your feedback on The Black Death   (use this link if you found an error in the story)

---

Middle Ages

Middle Ages

---

Social Studies

Social Studies

United States History and Theme Units         American Government         Ancient America         Ancient China         Ancient Egypt         Ancient Greece         Ancient India         Ancient Mesopotamia         Ancient Rome         Biographies         Canadian Theme Unit         Country Theme Units         Crime and Terrorism         Economics         European History: 1600s-1800s

Explorers         Famous Educators         Geography         Grades 2-3 Social Studies Wendy's World Series         History of Books and Writing         History of Mathematics         How Can I Help?         Inventors and Inventions         Middle Ages         Renaissance         World Religion         World War I         World War II         World Wonders

Copyright © 2025 edHelper